Hermione's Krum
by Malfodax
Summary: Ever wonder what happened between Hermione and Krum in the summer of GoF? This is the story that tells all...
1. Off to Bulgaria

Chapter 1  
  
Hermione watched the English scenery whip by as she looked out of the window of the car heading towards the airport. Her parents would hear nothing about her travelling to see Viktor Krum on a broomstick and they had nearly died when she mentioned Floo Powder. So they had all, finally after many arguments, decided that she could fly to Bulgaria where Viktor would be waiting to receive her.  
  
As she thought of the long and tedious trip that awaited her, she frowned with disdain. They pulled off the motorway towards the exit for Heathrow airport; Hermione's heart began to race with excitement! As she entered the terminal, her father pulled her into a tight embrace and gave her some Muggle money as well as 50 Galleons for when she got there.  
  
"I love you Hermione, take care of yourself and I'll see you when you get back", said her Father.  
  
Her mother however could not bear the prospect of having her only child away from here for an entire 3 weeks.  
  
"Oh! My baby girl all grown up and off on her own..."sobbed her mother as she nearly crushed Hermione in her embrace.  
  
"Oh mum...I'll be back before you know it!" said Hermione brightly. She pulled away and began to walk towards the boarding gate.  
  
As the plane took off, Hermione felt excited to be seeing him after so long; his letters had been full of love and consideration. He had even offered to come to England and escort Hermione back to Bulgaria. As she was thinking this she felt a sudden pang of guilt. 'I don't love Krum!' she thought to herself, 'I love Harry, if only he had asked me to the Yule Ball before Krum had...she would have only too willingly gone with him...why am I doing this to Viktor?' She questioned her motives...what did she expect to achieve form this visit? She shook her head vigorously, 'I am going for a nice holiday with him and that's that...nothing else. My heart belongs to Harry.' She told herself quietly. It didn't sound convincing though. As her thoughts wandered to the two men that she was between, her thoughts drifted to Rita Skeeter's article that had appeared in Witch Weekly. Was she toying with both of them? She contemplated the question for the better part of the flight, trying to justify her relationships with both of them took a lot of energy and eventually, she drifted off to sleep; before she knew what was happening the plane had landed.  
  
The luggage racks were incredibly efficient in Bulgaria so Hermione got her luggage within 10 minutes. As she walked outside into the warm sunshine, she caught a glimpse of a slightly round-shouldered, duck-footed boy that was wearing a look of something between concern and a surly scowl. Hermione felt herself blush and she ran towards him.  
  
"Viktor! Over here! Viktor!" she shouted as she ran towards him.  
  
He swept her up into his arms and pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face into her neck.  
  
"I haf missed you Herm-own-ninny" said Krum into her ear "I thought that you vouldn't come after what happened to Diggory".  
  
Hermione flinched at the all too recent memory of Voldemort's latest attempt to kill Harry.  
  
"Let's not talk about that Viktor, after all, we are on holiday", she said back pulling his body closer to hers in an even tighter embrace.  
  
"Lets go, ve haf a long ride in front ov us."  
  
Krum lifted Hermione's suitcase on to the back of a truck and got into the driver's seat.  
  
"Ve are going to drive to the nearest moor and then ve vill fly to the castle", said Krum as he took her hand in his.  
  
Hermione's heart skipped a beat. She felt totally at peace as all thoughts of Harry and the Summer Term left her mind. 


	2. The Journey to Krum Manor

Chapter 2  
  
As the truck wound its way onto the empty road, Hermione noticed that Krum was slowing down. He pulled the truck over by a large oak and a creek that ran as far as she could see.  
  
"Viktor...it's beautiful!" breathed Hermione.  
  
"Do you like it? I used to come here ven I vanted to think about you..." replied Krum, his voice sounding very close to her ear.  
  
She turned around and saw him standing right behind her leaning towards her face. As she looked into his eyes, all traces of his surliness had gone. All she could see was compassion and love...as he placed his arms around her waist she felt his hands soft and smooth against her hips, he had slipped them under her top. She wanted to cry and laugh at the same time but she couldn't explain why. She moved closer to him and placed her hands on his shoulders; under her hands his shoulders felt firm and well defined with muscle texture that was no doubt due to the harsh practices that Quidditch demanded of him. She gazed into his eyes and seemed to get lost within them. He lowered his mouth to her and pressed his lips gently towards hers. He felt her shudder and abruptly stopped.  
  
"Is everything alright Herm-own-ninny?"  
  
"Everything's fine, I've just never been kissed before and I had no idea that it was going to be like that."  
  
Krum smiled and looked down at her face. How long he had imagined her face to be exactly the way it was now, full of happiness and love.  
  
He smiled again and said "Ve should get started, othervise it vill get dark before ve reach the manor."  
  
Hermione allowed herself to be steered away from the tree. Walking past the tree, they entered a thicket covered with bracken and shrubs. There before them, stood Krum's 'Firebolt' and an invisibility cloak. Seeing the cloak, Hermione suddenly thought of Harry and a surge of sadness coursed through her; she saw him in her mind's eye, suffering with the Dursleys and then felt guilty for not writing back to his letter. He had been adamant that she come to 'The Burrow' with him for the last three weeks of the holidays and stay with the Weasleys but Hermione didn't have the heart to tell him that she was going to be with Krum. She knew what Ron would say; she could hear him now:  
  
"Hermione! What are you doing? You're...you're fraternising with the enemy! Shame on you, after what he did to Cedric, with the Cruciatus Curse!"  
  
Hermione knew though that it was Crouch (posing as Moody using Polyjuice Potion) that has used the Imperius Curse on Krum to make him do that. While Hermione had been daydreaming, Krum had tied her suitcase to the back of the broomstick and bewitched it to make it feather-light. He mounted the broomstick and indicated for her to come and sit as well. She sat in front of him, facing him and snuggled into his burly chest; she was so close that she could feel his rib-cage expand as he breathed. He draped the invisibility cloak over them and made sure that nothing was visible. As they rose into the fading sunlight, Krum pulled out his wand and muttered Disillusionment Charm for extra safety under his breath. She felt the broom begin to move of its own accord and she looked up at him.  
  
"What were you thinking of when you learnt this spell?"  
  
"You."  
  
As Krum turned the broom around to face the correct direction, Hermione said "Now what do we do?"  
  
Krum looked at her, "Ve are completely shielded from the outside vorld, ve can do vat ever ve vant."  
  
With a mischievous grin as he pulled her face towards his own. As he kissed her again, she felt the insides of her mouth tingle in anticipation; with this feeling her hunger for Krum grew. She began to kiss more passionately and fiercely as they sped towards Krum Manor; Hermione wished that they could have stayed up there forever. As they pulled away from each other, their breath came in heavy bursts and Hermione leaned towards Krum. As she placed her head on his chest a clock chimed 6 O'clock somewhere; she began to drift into a slumber to the rhythm of his heartbeat. 


	3. The Hall

Chapter 3  
  
Hermione awoke with a start, as she jerked awake she felt a jolt; Viktor had landed on the lawns of Krum Manor. As he gently lifted her off the broom she could see that the sheer size of the manor took up most of the cliff that they were perched on. He kissed her gently and she grinned inwardly as his warm lips touched her own.  
  
"Ve are here, did you sleep vell?"  
  
She nodded and closed her eyes remembering the dream she had had; she had been walking down some steps led by a bodiless voice. As she reached the bottom of the steps a pair of oak doors that extended from the ceiling to the floor had opened and a person had stood in the doorway. The face of the person was obscured by the storm outside therefore all she saw was their silhouette. The person had spoken in Parseltounge and she had understood. This frightened her as she only knew of two people who could speak this dark and mysterious language: Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. She sincerely hoped that it was the latter, for if it were she would be in grave danger. Hermione had not noticed that while she had been daydreaming, a person had walked down the steps and begun to take her trunk and Krum's broom to the great marble steps that led to the huge wooden doors that marked the front entrance to the Manor. Krum gently put his arm around her shoulders and began to follow the butler.  
  
"Velcome to Krum Manor, Herm-own-ninny. Our Manor is unplottable so you vill find no strangers knocking at our door. The Bulgarian minister for Magic himself is also our Secret Keeper, only a select group of elite people know vere the almighty Krum family live."  
  
Hermione felt as though she was being fed information that was related to a prison of some sort but she quickly brushed the feeling aside.  
  
Upon approaching the steps, the butler disappeared along with the luggage so they were alone; walking up to the doors, Hermione could see that they were made of oak and her stomach lurched as she realised that these were the doors from her dream. She examined them and saw that they had the Krum family crest engraved on each door, a Bulgarian Horntail (distant relative of the Hungarian Horntail that Harry faced at the 1st task of the Triwizard tournament) with two swords crossed above it. The words underneath read, 'Aurom Protestas Est.' meaning 'Gold is Power' in Latin. She wondered why people might want such an abominable motto associated with their family. As Hermione stared at the doors, they suddenly began to swing open of their own accord.  
  
As they entered the hall, the sheer splendour of it made Hermione gasp with surprise. The floor was made up entirely of marble; each slab looked about 5 metres in size and upon each of them, there was the Krum family crest in the centre. The crest itself was about half a metre in size. Hermione thought this very vain as she wondered who would want their family crest covering almost the entire floor. She thought Viktor's parents to be quite narcissistic after seeing all that she had. Looking up she saw the staircase of her dream and as the grand oak doors flew open a high pitched laughter pierced the night as a large figure entered in the doorway behind her... 


	4. Dinner with the Krum's

Chapter 4  
  
As Hermione swung around to face the shrill scream that had pierced the night she saw two figures in the doorway. She breathed a sigh of relief as she realized that it was Krum's parents, the laughter that she had just heard had been uttered from Mr. Krum's mouth.  
  
"Ahh, Viktor, Hermione, you have arrived, Good! Just in time for dinner eh?" said Mr. Krum his voice laced with a very heavy Bulgarian accent.  
  
"Good Evening" said Hermione politely.  
  
"Hermione, how nice to finally meet you! So, you are the girl that our Viktor hasn't stopped talking about since the end of the Triwizard Tournament. Delighted I'm sure" said Mrs. Krum gracefully offering her hand to Hermione.  
  
"Thank you very much Mrs. Krum. You have a wonderful manor, much larger then any I've seen" said Hermione sheepishly taking her hand and shaking it.  
  
"Please, let us dispense with such unnecessary formalities, you may call me Helga, and this is my husband Ivan whom you have already met" said Helga Krum graciously.  
  
Hermione felt herself blush, had Viktor really been talking about her all summer? Hermione obviously lost in thought was brought back down to earth when Ivan Krum took her hand and kissed the top lightly before gesturing towards a door towards his left. Hermione obediently followed him with Krum and his mother following close behind. When she entered the dining room her breath was taken away, never before had she seen such splendour in her entire life. The floor, unlike the entrance hall was panelled with wood from wall to wall. The family crest was engraved into the centre of the floor but was partly obscured by the enormous dining table that seemed to occupy the entire room. At least thirty people could have easily been seated at the table, so grand was its size. It must have been carved out of an entire maple tree for such was its colour. There were the chairs too that were made of wood with a deep purple cushion placed neatly on each of their seats. She must have stopped in her tracks because a voice suddenly whispered in her ear.  
  
"Vot is it? Is something wrong? Vhy haff you stopped?" whispered Krum so his parent's wouldn't hear him.  
  
"Nothing's wrong, I have just never seen a room so big before, nor have I seen a table so grand!" was all Hermione could reply.  
  
Krum smiled behind her in amusement. He was amazed that such an intelligent and caring girl could be impressed by such little things as dining tables and grand hallways. He gently nudged her forward with his shoulder and Hermione continued to walk towards the dinner table. Krum pulled out a chair for her that was next to his own, she sat down and he seated himself next to her. Dinner arrived underneath a fleet of bearers. As the dishes were placed one by one in front of the four diners the bearers drifted back into the shadows of the room where the light of the many candles did not reach. Hermione looked puzzled; she didn't recognise any of the dishes that had been placed on the table.  
  
"Umm...Mr. Krum...I mean...Ivan?" said Hermione quietly.  
  
"Yes Hermione dear? Is something the matter?" replied Ivan with a fruitful smile.  
  
"Well, it's just that I don't recognise any of these dishes and I was wondering what they were."  
  
"But of course, please forgive me."  
  
Ivan Krum snapped his fingers and a bearer appeared at his side. He whispered something into his ear and he disappeared. Within two minutes he was back carrying a small book on a silver tray. He gave the book to Mr. Krum and then upon receiving a nod headed to where Hermione was sitting. She took the book and looked up with a confused expression on her face.  
  
"It's a menu Hermione. That is what is served on the table tonight. If you read it, it will give you the names of all the dishes here in Bulgarian and a brief description of what it contains and how it's cooked" said Mr. Krum, a kind smile playing on his lips.  
  
"Thanks" said Hermione meekly.  
  
"Oh, and by the way, the menu will update itself for every meal so you can keep it until you leave" added Mr. Krum whilst serving himself something that resembled vomit.  
  
Hermione sighed and opened the book. On the first page there was the date and the meal that was being served, she glanced over it and turned the page. There was a heading saying 'Starters' and then a long list of dishes. She counted the number of dishes on the page and then silently counted the number of dishes on the table. They added up, she smiled inwardly. The marvels of magic had not ceased to amaze her. She glanced over all the dishes yet none seemed to appeal to her. She settled on a safe seafood salad and began serving herself. No sooner had she finished, her plate was swept away and the fleet of bearers made another entrance, this time bearing the main course. Again she consulted the menu book and after what seemed like hours of mindless chatter between the three Krum's Hermione found herself drifting into thoughts of Harry and what he was doing as dessert arrived. She was yanked out of her thoughts by the sound of Viktor's voice.  
  
"Vell, Herm-own-ninny? Vot do you think?"  
  
"I'm sorry I seemed to have missed the question. Could you please repeat it?" asked Hermione feeling herself go red.  
  
"Of course dear! I was simply asking if you think that this whole mess with that Potter boy and Diggory could have been averted if security at Hogwarts was tighter. I mean that whole incident with the Imperious Curse in the maze didn't make our son look too good in the scheme of things" said Helga pleasantly.  
  
"Well, I don't know really, I mean Crouch was posing as one of our teachers and if you can't trust them then who can you trust?" said Hermione seriously.  
  
"Hear, hear! I totally agree with Hermione, I mean honestly Helga, look what happened to Karkaroff. We all thought that he was a wonderful man and he upped and left in the middle of the tournament. Not that the boys couldn't manage to get home by themselves, not with Viktor in command eh son!?" said Ivan after drinking deeply from his goblet and nudging Viktor's elbow.  
  
"Yes father" said Viktor rolling his eyes. "Now, if you vill excuse me I vill take Herm-own-ninny to her room. She looks very tired to me, no?"  
  
"Actually, I am a bit tired. Thank you Viktor" said Hermione picking up the menu book and rising from her chair along with Krum.  
  
Good Night Ivan, Helga, it was a pleasure to meet you. Sleep well, see you tomorrow" said Hermione inclining her head.  
  
"Good Night dear, may you find peaceful rest under our glorious roof!" said Helga gesticulating extravagantly.  
  
Krum offered her his arm and led her towards the staircase. They walked up the stairs to the first floor. Krum led her to a corridor of doors to the right of the stairway and showed her to the room at the end of the hallway. When he opened the room Hermione was astounded. This manor seemed to be entirely made up of beautiful rooms! Her bedroom was decorated in white, light pink and a gentle green. She had no time to swoon as her instincts led her to the wardrobe where someone had unpacked and placed all of her clothes neatly. She reached for her pyjamas and ventured towards the bathroom to change. Krum was still standing in the doorway waiting for her to say goodnight. She quickly changed, brushed her teeth and went back into the bedroom. Krum was still there, a smirk that looked all too similar to the one Malfoy wore plastered across his face.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
"It is nothing, I am going to bed now but if you need me in the night for any reason, my room is two doors down on your left" said Victor with a mischievous grin.  
  
"Thanks Viktor, I'll remember that for future reference. Good Night!"  
  
"Good Night Herm-own-ninny! Sveet Dreams!" said Krum closing the door behind him.  
  
Hermione crawled into bed absolutely exhausted. As soon as her head touched the pillow she was in a deep sleep dreaming of a certain boy with green eyes and untidy hair... 


	5. Breakfast and the shower

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; all the characters that you recognise here belong to J.K Rowling and her wonderful mind; only the plot is mine...  
  
Chapter 5  
  
The sunlight streamed into the bedroom where Hermione lay. She could hear the birds whistling and a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the surrounding trees. She opened her eyes and looked at the clock on her bedside table. It was 9:37am; she stretched in her deep purple sheets and got out of bed. Stepping onto the warm carpet she felt completely rested and totally at ease. There was something about the Bulgarian air that completely exhausted her and made her sleep well. She figured that it was just the clean country air; she was not used to be being away from all the polluting cars and traffic that inhibited central London. Stepping into the bathroom she turned the shower on and reached for her toothbrush. The water began to heat up so Hermione set the temperature to her liking and began to undress. Her silk nightdress slid off of her shoulders, revealing her flawless back, tanned from the French sun. She stepped into the shower and began soaping herself down all the while thinking of what they were going to do today; Krum had not discussed any of their plans for the holidays so Hermione had no idea how they were going to spend their 3 weeks together. She hoped that he had nothing romantic planned for them. The kiss on the way here had been enough, she didn't want a repeat of it for anything...except if it was Harry's lips not Krum's. She felt herself blush and thanked the gods that there was no one here to see it.  
  
As she finished her shower she stepped out and walked over to her wardrobe. After careful selection she decided on a pair of denim jeans and a white, short sleeved cropped-top that showed off her toned stomach beautifully. After putting on her 'Puma's' she opened her bedroom door and set off towards the dining room. When she got to the stairs she suddenly remembered that she had left the menu book back in her room. She sighed and turned around; when she reached the beginning of the corridor the lead to her bedroom she collided with something solid and hard.  
  
"Oooof!" grunted Hermione.  
  
Looking up, Hermione found herself gazing into a pair of very deep brown eyes; she suddenly realised what it was that she had collided with.  
  
Krum had woken up at the crack of dawn to go training in the fields. Just because he had a guest staying didn't mean that he could slack off; despite his spectacular performance in the world cup final Bulgaria had still lost and he needed to work harder than ever to get back on track. His daily training routine consisted of an obstacle course that he had to cross with weights strapped onto his legs. This helped to increase his muscle fitness, strength and stamina. There was another course for his broomstick flying and an arena where he practised his hand and eye coordination. Hermione looked at him again, she scented a musky odour coming from him and it sent shivers down her spine. He looked so good that she almost reached a hand out to touch his face but caught herself just in time.  
  
"Sorry, I didn't see you..." said Hermione feebly.  
  
"Not to vorry Herm-own-ninny, I haff just come back from training and vos vondering if you vanted some breakfast?" replied Krum smiling as he looked her up and down.  
  
"Actually, I was headed down there right now...I left my menu in my room and was on my way back to get it. You carry on, I'll meet you in the dining room" replied Hermione walking back to her room.  
  
Krum shrugged his shoulders and turned around. Hermione opened her door and grabbed the menu; turning around she headed towards the stairs. Walking down she heard a bellow of fruity laughter coming from the dining room. As she walked in she saw Ivan and Helga laughing at something that a man she didn't recognise had said.  
  
"Ahh...here she is..." said Ivan standing up with his arms open, "sit down my child, you must be hungry? Did you sleep well?"  
  
"Yes thank you...very well..." said Hermione uncomfortably.  
  
"Good! Kaplakh, excuse me Hermione! Where are my manners...this is Boris Ivanisovitch...Bulgarian Minister for Magic..." said Ivan gesturing towards the unfamiliar man who was still seated.  
  
"Minister, it is a pleasure to meet you sir" said Hermione extending her hand towards him.  
  
"Trust me dear, the pleasure is all...mine..." said the minister, taking her hand and kissing it on the top, all the while giving her a look that made Hermione squirm.  
  
She quickly removed her hand from his and took her place next to Viktor who possessively placed his hand on her thigh. She shifted a little then pulled the jug of pumpkin juice towards her. Krum began moving his hand stealthily further and further up her thigh, as Hermione poured herself a glass. She tactfully removed his hand with a look that made him frown. He was willing to wait; the question was how long was she?  
  
"Tell me now Boris...what are we going to do about the Karkaroff situation, after all, Durmstrang has no headmaster" said Ivan heartily.  
  
"Well Ivan, I was considering the options seeing as they are limited and we at the ministry have come to a decision...it is our question that has forced me to come to your humble home. The Ministry wants to know whether you would be willing to take his place and step in as headmaster for Karkaroff. Knowledge or qualifications are not an issue as we are certain that you have enough of those" said the Minister with his head inclined politely towards Mr. Krum.  
  
The entire table looked stunned. Helga Krum was the first to break the silence.  
  
"Excuse me Minister; I don't seem to have heard you correctly. You mean to tell me that you travelled all the way here to ask my husband to take over the headship of Durmstang?"  
  
"That's exactly what I am saying Helga, after all, give me a name of an equal to your husband's knowledge, power and...influence and I will gladly take my proposal elsewhere."  
  
"Boris, you proposal is gracious and flattering but I need time to think" said Ivan.  
  
"My old friend! What is there to think about? After all..."  
  
The Minister continued his argument as Hermione and Krum left the room silently excusing themselves. They walked into the hall and towards the front door; Krum look put out and Hermione was in a state of shock. Deciding that a change of subject was in order she turned towards Krum.  
  
"What are we going to do today? You didn't tell me any of your plans for my trip in all the owls that you sent and I must admit that my curiosity is getting to me..." she said in a sweet voice.  
  
"Vell...first I need to take a shover and then...let's see" he replied with a glint in his eye that was disturbingly similar to that of the minister's.  
  
He led her up the stairs towards his bedroom. When they reached his door Hermione hesitated but Viktor was insistent so she allowed herself to be guided into the room. Upon entrance she found herself subconsciously gasp in awe of what she saw before her. Krum's room was huge, its size was only rivalled by the dining room; one entire wall was lined with glass that looked out onto the grounds and beyond. She could see something shimmering in the distance, weaving its way towards the horizon like a serpent, which she presumed was a river of some sort. Looking towards the bed she saw that it was massive, easily big enough for three fully grown people to sleep in comfortably. It looked comfortable and its pure white sheets contrasted the black carpet that she was standing on. One of the walls was lined with books of all sorts with a large desk beneath it. Another wall was devoted to Quidditch; Krum's gleaming, magnificent Nimbus 2001 took centre stage on the wall surrounded by diagrams of what seemed to be game tactics. The blue and red arrows on each piece of parchment wiggled around the page of their own accord displaying various game strategies and plans. Above the broomstick there were rows and rows of shelves filled with magazines that Hermione presumed were Quidditch related; below the broomstick there was a large black leather sofa and two small armchairs on wither side all facing inwards towards a large glass and wrought iron table. The wall that held the door was covered in framed school photographs and various other team photographs. Hermione took all this in with a glazed look in her eyes; she soon discovered that Krum was right behind her.  
  
"Like vot you see?" Krum whispered. It sent a spasm down her spine that made her knees tremble.  
  
"Very much...I didn't know that you liked reading" replied Hermione gesturing towards the shelves upon shelves of books that lined the south wall.  
  
"One learns a lot about a beast vhen they venture into his lair..." said Krum seductively.  
  
He moved away from her after closing the door and locking it behind him. Removing his shirt he turned towards her.  
  
"I am going to take a shover now. Please...make yourself at home" stated Krum gesturing towards the bed.  
  
"Thanks..." said Hermione making to move towards the sofa arrangements.  
  
"Suit yourself..." said Krum as he stepped out of his shorts revealing his white boxers.  
  
He walked over towards the bathroom and opened the door. Hermione peered in and noticed that it was made entirely of black marble and silver chrome fittings. She watched as Krum turned the shower on and moved towards the sink to shave. Still utterly mesmerised by this man's daily cleansing routine she watching as the bathroom began to fill with steam; mysteriously none seemed to escape into the room. He made no move to close the door, almost as if he were mocking her, tempting her to join him in this unnecessarily spacious shower cabinet. As the steam rose, it engulfed Krum from the waist down; she watched him as he removed his boxers and threw them into a corner making the steam curl angrily. He looked her straight in the eye, raised an eyebrow and then stepped into the shower. Hermione waited until he slid the shower door shut then raced towards the bathroom door and closed it quietly. With her back to it, she slid down and brought her knees up to her chest. Why oh why couldn't it be Harry in that shower and not Krum. If it was would she have joined him? Would she have submitted to his charm and invitation? Contemplating her rhetoric she listened to the spray of the shower as Krum waited patiently and in vain for the love of his life to come and join him. 


	6. The First Day

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter; all the characters that you recognise here belong to J.K Rowling and her wonderful mind; only the plot is mine…

**Chapter 6**

Hermione felt utterly confused. She did not know what was the matter with her. Sitting on the leather sofa in Krum's room she mulled over her situation. She was in Bulgaria, visiting a man who was obviously besotted by her and yet she couldn't get Harry out of mind. The kiss she had shared with Viktor the previous evening was still fresh in her mind and yet she could not work out if she had enjoyed it or merely taken advantage of the man's affections.

If all she had done was take advantage what did that mean? Was she a heartless cruel person who enjoyed leading other men on? Or was it that she had dropped her guard and just gone along with Krum's advances. It was infuriating! Harry, who knew nothing of Hermione's true feeling for him was like a spectre in her mind. As she allowed these thoughts to swirl around in her mind, Krum emerged from the bathroom in nothing but a towel and looking a little put out.

Hermione rose from the sofa. "I'm just going back to my room for a few minutes, I need to change my shoes", she said to him as she moved towards the door and unlocked it. This of course was a lie but she did not want to be around while he got dressed. It made her a little uncomfortable to think of him naked around her.

As she walked back into the large corridor outside Viktor's room, she heard the minister and Krum's father still discussing the merits of the position he had been recently offered at Durmstrang. Evidently, they had not reached a decision yet. Hermione entered her bedroom and shut the door quietly behind her. She pulled the menu book she had been given out of her back pocked and placed it on the desk in the room. Moving towards the wardrobe where her things had been unpacked, she pulled out a small wooden box from one of the shelves. Moving back to the desk she placed the box on the table and sat down in front of it. Withdrawing a piece of parchment and a quill from inside, she sat down and scribbled a quick note to her parents.

_Dear Mum & Dad,_

_I got in safely last night so please stop worrying! The manor is beautiful and quite large. Mum, you would love the view from my room! It looks over the western side of the grounds and the river that flows through the estate. Weather's alright, bit chilly in the evenings but so far so good._

_Hope you are well and having fun in France. Miss you both and will write again soon!_

_All my Love,_

_Hermione_

She sealed the letter and addressed it to her parents. Pulling out another piece of parchment she dipped her quill in ink once more and began a second letter to Harry and Ron.

_Dear Boys,_

_Ok, please don't be upset but I am sorry I will not be able to make it to the burrow until the end of the month. I am in Bulgaria visiting Viktor Krum for a while. He asked me to stay at the end of last term and I thought I would take him up on his offer. I have never been to Bulgaria before & I thought it would be a nice opportunity to see the country._

_Ron, before you get all agitated, I PROMISE I will come visit this summer so there's no use trying to persuade me to come back any sooner than I have already planned to._

_Harry, I will be back in time for your birthday so there is no excuse for you to get grumpy with me either!_

_I miss you both and I hope that you are staying out of trouble! The last thing we need is for one of you to be expelled from Hogwarts! Give my love to Ginny and take care. I will try to write again before I leave._

_Love,_

_Hermione_

Sealing the second envelope, she addressed it both Ron and Harry. Wondering where she was going to get an owl from to send her letters she replaced her quill in the wooden box and put it back inside the wardrobe. As she shut the doors a tapping sound from the window made her look round to see perched on the windowsill outside her room, two tawny coloured screech owls looking expectantly at her. Amazed at the coincidence she opened the window slightly to allow the owls to enter. She looked over at her two letters and then back at the owls now sitting on the back of the desk chair.

Shrugging her shoulders, she tied a letter to each of the owl's legs and instructed them to deliver the letters to England. Not sure exactly how long it would take the letters to reach the addressees she hoped that the flight would not be too taxing on the birds. As they soared out of the open window, she watched them until they became specks on the horizon and a knock on the door made her turn. Krum was standing, fully dressed, in her doorway.

"Shall ve go?" he asked pointing a thumb over his shoulder. "I thought, maybe you vould like to see the grounds before lunch", he continued looking apprehensive.

"Of course! That would be lovely Viktor", replied Hermione with a smile.

They walked out of the room and made their way down the corridor to the stairs. Though he said nothing to her, Hermione could tell that he was slightly annoyed with her and the tension between them was very noticeable. She had rejected his advances without saying a word and he had taken it hard. No one had ever refused him before and the feeling was an unpleasant blow to his pride. They made their way into the gardens and Krum began explaining to Hermione the various aspects of the grounds and their respective histories.

She was however, only half listening. Once again, her mind had drifted to Harry and she found herself imagining sitting at the table in 'The Burrow' with Harry and the Weasley family.

The morning passed quickly; during their walk, she had not said more than two words through Krum's monologue of explanation and description and before she knew it a house-elf had appeared at Viktor's side announcing something in Bulgarian and then disapparating.

When the elf had gone, Krum turned to her and said, "Lunch is served".

As they made their way back to the castle Krum slouched his shoulders forward and asked Hermione, "Are you happy to be here?"

Realising she had seemed distant ad preoccupied all morning she looked at him and said, "Of course! It is beautiful here Viktor and your parents are very kind and wonderful people."

Seemingly satisfied by her response, Krum continued to lead Hermione up towards the house.

Lunch passed without incident; Hermione made polite conversation with Krum's parents and as they discussed the difference in educational regimen between Hogwarts and Durmstrang, Hermione discovered how very different the two schools actually were. While Hogwarts provided a very rounded and balanced curriculum to its students, Durmstrang was mainly focused on physical activities like sports and the use of practical spells. Hermione discovered that unlike Hogwarts, where teachers instructed a class through theory and then led them in the practical applications of it, Durmstrang combined the two from the beginning. Students were expected to pick up the theoretical aspects by performing the magic as they went along.

After lunch, Krum took Hermione to the gentle flowing river where they spent their afternoons engaged in various water sports and boat rides. The water was surprisingly cool thought Hermione as she lazily dragged her hand alongside the steadily moving rowboat Krum was operating. The weather was perfect and as the sun beat down upon them, the water provided constant refreshment as well as an aesthetically pleasing sight.

Afternoon soon faded to twilight and as Krum moored the boat Hermione looked over at him. They had not said much to each other all day and Hermione suspected that this was because he was still upset about her unresponsive reaction to his advances earlier that day. The silence had not however been uncomfortable but peaceful and appropriate. It had given her time to think things through and she had made some decisions during the time she spent on the water.

The feelings that she had for Harry, when compared to those she thought she might have for Krum, were far stronger. By no means unattractive, Krum just wasn't her type. He was too moody and introverted. Making conversation was difficult with Krum because, she soon realised, there were not many things they both had in common but with Harry words seemed to flow as naturally as water. Despite his shortcomings as a conversationalist, Krum had shown a depth of knowledge when Hermione broached the subject of literature. For a professional athlete, Viktor was well read and seemed to be almost as passionate about books as she was. Hermione soon discovered why.

As they made their way back up to the castle Hermione wondered what the evening held in store for her. As if he could read her mind (which she sincerely hoped he couldn't) Krum spoke, "I thought maybe ve could spend the evening in the library? I like to read ven the light outside is no more."

The thought of spending the evening in a library sounded like paradise to Hermione and she agreed enthusiastically. As they walked up the stone steps towards the front door, she wondered what kind of literature the Krums would have in their library and she hoped that there would be some books in English. Her hopes seemed in vain; when they entered the grand room that was the library, Hermione gasped with delight. The entire room that was easily twice the size of the Hogwarts library was covered from ceiling to floor in books. Tens of thousands of spines glittered at her by the light of just as many candles and a roaring fire was going in the fireplace to one side. Even the fireplace was by far the largest she had ever seen, it was the length of one entire wall and it looked big enough to hold an entire tree trunk.

Viktor looked at her and smiled warmly, "I knew you vould like this. Krum Manor haff the largest library in the country; my family haff been collecting books for hundreds of generations and some of these titles remain in existence only here. They are one of a kind."

Despite this information, Hermione was amazed. She could not believe that this treasure trove of knowledge had been here all along and realised now why Krum seemed to have read so much about so many subjects. She took a tentative step forward and then looked at him almost asking for permission. After a quick nod of approval from Krum, she walked over to the nearest shelf and began to run her fingers along the spines, reading the titles as she went along. Pulling on off the shelf, she held it in her hands, feeling the weight of its moleskin cover and vellum pages with an almost reverent expression on her face. Krum approached her and motioned towards one of the several collections of armchairs that were scattered along the length of the fireplace.

"You can read here if you like. Ve eat supper in the study ven ve are alone", he added pointing to a door that led off the library. "I alvays sit here in the evenings to read. I find it very…peaceful."

She studied his face and saw her passion for the books that surrounded them reflected in Krum's eyes. Settling herself in the armchair closest to the fire, she opened the book she had picked up and began to read. Out of the corner of her eye she sae Krum mimic her actions as he removed a book from on top of the mantelpiece. He sat down opposite her and removed his shoes. Crossing his legs under him, he settled himself and opened his book.

Hours passed in silence with only the sound of turning pages to mark the passage of time. All to soon for Hermione's liking a voice behind her indicated that supper was served. Marking her place, Hermione closed the book, put it on the mantelpiece next to Krum's and followed him into the study.

Unlike the rest of the house, this room was small by comparison. The walls were panelled with wood but the floor was carpeted. Although long, the room was not very wide. At one end Hermione saw more arm chairs and another glorious roaring fireplace. Helga Krum was sitting in one of these chairs reading what looked like an evening edition of the local newspaper. Along from the fireplace sat an ornately carved desk with matching high backed chair. She presumed this was where Ivan Krum handled his day-to-day business as he currently occupied the chair and was smoking a long deep potted pipe evidently lost deep in thought. The other side of the wall bore framed photographs and pieces of paper and in the centre of the room sat a rectangular table with six chairs surrounding it which was where supper had been laid out.

When Hermione and Krum entered the room, Ivan stood up and placed his pipe on the table. The pungent smoke that tickled Hermione's nose reminded her of evenings spent sitting in a very similar (if not so large) study with her late grandfather of whom she had been very fond of.

"Come, come! Please do sit down", said Ivan graciously as his wife folded her paper and moved towards the table. "Forgive the humbleness of our supper ritual my dear, but we find supper is best enjoyed in a cosier atmosphere", continued Ivan in anything but a humble tone.

"Please Ivan", said Hermione feeling herself blush. "This is truly perfect!"

As the four of them sat down for supper, Helga Krum inquired after their day's activities. Upon hearing the full account of what her son and his guest had been up to during that day, she proceeded to make recommendations for their following excursions into the estate's vast grounds. Conversation proceeded from there on a jovial note and after they had finished eating, mint tea was served to them by the warmth of the fire.

After a while, Hermione felt her eyelids begin to droop and she made to excuse herself. Krum got up with her and offered to escort her to her room. She accepted and bid his parents goodnight. As they left the room Hermione was amazed by how tired she felt. Again, as if he was reading her mind Krum spoke.

"The country air has exhausted you I think. You vill sleep vell tonight, I am sure of it."

She laughed and replied, "I cannot believe how refreshed I feel. It has been so long since I last relaxed like this. You are very lucky to have such an enchanting home Viktor."

He did not say anything else as they ascended the stairs and walked down the corridor that led to Hermione's and his rooms. When they reached the door of the guest room Hermione was occupying, Krum caught hold of her arm before she could open the door. Slowly turning her to face him, he cupped the side of her face with his hand and kissed her lightly on the lips. That same sensation of tingling heat, which had flooded her on the broomstick coursed through Hermione once more as she felt a spasm move down her spine. Krum pulled away and stared into her eyes.

"Goodnight. Sleep vell", and without another word he turned and walked towards his own room.

Hermione opened the door and stepped inside. Closing the door behind her, she leaned back against it and slid to the floor resting her forehead on her knees. Breathing hard, she felt that familiar haze of confusion settle over her as she viciously questioned her own reaction to the kiss. Did she have feelings for Krum? What about Harry, was she betraying her feelings for him by kissing Viktor?

Questions and doubt filled her mind as she stood up and headed towards the bathroom to get ready for bed.


End file.
